July 1
Three days since Zordon's arrest.
The Power Chamber
was in a state of chaos. Nothing new there, but this was a little bit worse
than usual. Alarms were blaring, heroes and scientists were scurrying in
all directions, and in a corner, Joyce McCormick was completely confused.
Not five minutes ago, she had been the captive of the evil Shadowborg,
who had used her as bait to lure her fourteen-year-old son, the Chromium
Gold Beetleborg, into a trap. She had then been rescued by her eleven-year-old
daughter, also a Beetleborg. Now her son was missing, her daughter was
frantic, and her questions were going unanswered. It had not been a good
day.
"What do you
mean, you lost him?" Roland asked, pulling on Egon Spengler's sleeve. The
physicist didn't even look at him, keeping his eyes fixed on the equipment
before him
"I mean I lost
him," the blond Ghostbuster replied, pushing his glasses up the bridge
of his nose. "His connection to our computer has been completely severed.
I can't track him, I can't scan him- I can't even get a reading on his
vital signs."
Ryan Steele
pushed in closer. "Do you think he's-"
"Not likely,"
Ray Stantz replied. "If he was, we'd still be getting a reading, just-
different ones. And I doubt Shadowborg would sever his connection just
to kill him."
"So he's probably
a prisoner," Kaitlin ventured.
"Then we have
to go back for him!" Jo cried. Fred stepped forward.
"No, Jo. It's
too dangerous. Shadowborg will be expecting an attack this time."
"If he's even
still there," Franklin added. "He may have moved Drew somewhere else."
Jo shook her
head. "This is my BROTHER!" she yelled. "You all may be afraid to go get
him, but I'm not!"
"It's not that
simple, Jo," JB replied, trying to get through to her.
Tasha nodded.
"Losing one Beetleborg was bad enough. We can't play into Shadowborg's
hands and lose two."
Jo, however,
was not listening. Extending her arm, she opened her mouth. "Data-" Before
she could complete the call, however, a large hand clapped across her mouth.
"Sorry to have
to do this, kiddo," Winston Zeddemore apologized. "But we can't have you
getting yourself killed." Jo struggled, but she was no match for the older
man's strength. Realizing this, the girl interlaced her fingers, preparing
to crack her knuckles and summon her super-strength. "I need a little help
here!" Winston yelled, trying to keep Jo's hands apart. Instantly Dex was
alongside him, taking Jo's other arm. The girl then began to thrash, obviously
working herself into a frenzy.
"Why me?" Peter
sighed, punching a few buttons on the console. A strange device materialized
in one hand. Crossing to Jo, he pressed the device to her arm.
"What was that?"
Dex asked, hearing a hiss.
"Hypospray,"
replied the psychologist. "Sedative. Jo's going to take a little nap now."
Seeing the glare in the girl's rapidly closing eyes, he winced. "You'll
thank me for this later, Jo- after you beat me to a bloody pulp."
Jo made no response
to that, simply sagged into unconsciousness. Peter placed her on a lab
table that Rosa had retrieved, wiping his forehead. "Strong, isn't she?"
he asked of no one in particular.
"Could someone
PLEASE tell me what's going on here?" Joyce asked, not really expecting
any more answer than she had received the first four times she'd asked.
"Maybe I can,"
a voice replied. Turning, Joyce saw a medium-sized man with white hair,
glasses, and a sketchbook tucked under one arm. "My name is Art Fortunes,"
he introduced himself, extending a hand.
"Oh- the man
who draws the Beetleborg comics. My children are big fans of them."
Art nodded.
"Yes, I know. Actually, that's part of the reason why I'm here. You see,
this whole thing started two years ago." While Art briefly explained the
histories and identities of the assembled heroes, Joyce listened with increasing
surprise.
"You're telling
me that my children have been Beetleborgs for two years, and I never noticed
anything?"
"You sound like
my dad," Franklin grinned, coming over. "Hi, I'm Franklin Park. I'm the
Green Turbo Ranger. My big brother Adam was a Ranger for over two years
before my dad found out, and some of our parents STILL don't know. Superheroes
become very good at hiding secrets."
Joyce sighed.
"I suppose. Do you- do you have any idea what happened to Drew?"
Art and Franklin
looked at each other and sighed. "Not exactly," the artist replied, "but-
we're fairly sure he's Shadowborg's prisoner."
"He's still
alive, we're almost positive of that," Franklin hastened to assure her.
"And Shadowborg wouldn't have bothered going to all this trouble just to
kill him. That's not his style." Joyce could see the shadows lurking behind
the boy's eyes, though, and knew Franklin was considering a possibility
no one had yet brought up. Then he shook himself.
"Tell you what,"
he said briskly. "This place is gonna be a madhouse for a while. You don't
want to hang around here- it'll be boring and loud. Why don't you come
back to my house, and you and my dad can have a talk. He's been in your
shoes." Franklin extended his hand, and after a moment, Joyce took it.
The two of them vanished in a column of green sparks and a flash of white
light.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"There it is,"
Parker announced. "The planet Edenoi."
Lillian leaned
forward, frowning. "Park? What are those silver things?"
"Probably defense
satellites," Tommy answered her. "However weakened Dregon's forces might
be by their split, this planet is still under attack. Parker, can you get
us through without a major confrontation?"
"I can try,"
the reporter responded wryly. "This is a little different from flying a
news chopper. Everybody strap in- it's gonna be a bumpy ride."
There were a
few tense moment, but eventually, Parker managed to set the shuttle down
on the surface of the planet. Rising from their chairs, the five occupants
of the craft stretched quickly.
"We'd better
go out there morphed," Tommy decided. "One, we'd kind of like the Edenites
to know we're on their side, and two, I don't want to be caught unarmed
if Dregon's Plague Patrol shows up again. Parker, got your sword?"
The reporter
indicated the katana strapped to his back and grinned. "The lovely police
officer here is packing heat as well."
Daystar pulled
the blaster from the holster at her waist. "Stunner/disrupter matrix. It
can be deadly or not, depending on what I need."
Zack nodded.
"Good. I have a feeling that we're going to need it."
"It's morphin
time!"
"Mastadon!"
"Zeo Ranger
V, Red!"
"Zeo Shadow
Power!"
Moving out of
the shuttle, the five crept cautiously along the landscape. "So what's
the plan, fearless leader?" Black Ranger asked, scanning the reddish rocks
around her.
"We go looking
for trouble," Red Ranger chuckled. "I'm sure King Lexian's resistance is
in a fight somewhere. They always are. We find the fight, and we can find
our contact with King Lexian."
"You can't fool
me, Tommy," Zack laughed. "You just want to hit somebody."
"Pardon me,"
Daystar interrupted dryly, "but I hear the sounds of mayhem over that way.
Shall we investigate?"
Cresting a rise,
the five found exactly what they'd been looking for. Two humanoids dressed
in brown robes were clashing with a number of ugly mutated soldiers. They
were badly outnumbered, and it looked as though the smaller one was injured.
"Come on, we've
got to help them. Zack, Daystar, you circle to the left. Parker, Lillian,
and I will hit them from the right. Go!"
Down in the
valley, the larger Edenite was fighting valiantly to protect his companion,
who was cradling her arm. "Wish I still had those Robo Rider powers," he
thought aloud. "They might come in handy right about now."
"Eeyyah!" The
battle cry caused everyone in the valley to look up from the fight. Red
and Black Rangers vaulted in to land in the middle, with Zack not far behind
them. Parker and Daystar, not capable of the same acrobatic feats as their
Ranger friends, followed in a slightly less flashy manner.
Red Ranger found
himself going hand to hand with the same Plague soldier that he had fought
on his first trip to Edenoi. Sending the man head over heels, he shook
his head. "Have a nice trip! See you next fall."
Meanwhile, Black
Ranger had produced her Shadow Staff, converted it to three-section mode,
and was happily beating three Plague Patrollers senseless. Behind her,
Zack covered her back, whacking at enemies with his ax.
Parker had found
himself suddenly embroiled in a full-fledged sword duel with one of Dregon's
smarter henchmen. However, years of kendo and keeping his skin intact had
given Parker a great deal of fighting skill, and he was more than holding
his own. Daystar, meanwhile, was blasting away at a troop of Cogworts,
sending them in all directions.
Finally, the
five heroes sent the Plague Patrollers packing. Then they turned back to
the two Edenite rebels, only to find themselves on the business end of
a blaster. Red Ranger raised his hands slowly, and the others followed
suit.
"Nice to see
Edenite hospitality hasn't changed any," Red Ranger grumbled.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It's beautiful,"
TJ whispered. The planet Danata hung in the screens, a green-and-blue jewel
shining among the stars.
Jamie nodded.
"In a way- it feels like home, even though I've never been there." Jason
put an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into him.
"There's more
land mass here than on Earth," Rocky noted, looking over the scans. "And
most of it seems to be plains."
"'The Sea of
Grass,'" Katarina read from one of the maps. "Sounds very romantic."
"The Sea of
Grass is home to the zraltak riders," Jamie informed them. "Dad told me
about them. All Zarakin are somewhat nomadic at heart, but in the blood
of the riders, it runs stronger than any. Zralta are kind of like horses-
but not exactly. You'd have to see one to understand. Anyway, the riders
spend their whole lives migrating from place to place, raising meat animals
and trading."
"So where are
we headed?" Chris asked.
"Chorida, the
capital city," replied Jamie. Then she grinned. "It should be interesting,
actually. We're in the middle of Shalmoon, the feast of the Goddess. The
city will be full of people and celebrations. Anyway, once there, we'll
make our way to the palace and try to get in to see the king. Zarador is
an old friend of Zordon's, from the Order, so hopefully he'll be willing
to testify on Zordon's behalf before the Council."
"Somehow, I doubt it'll be that easy," Jason grumbled.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Starrunners
had provided the six of them with Zarakin clothing, a simple tunic and
pants ensemble, each in their Ranger color. Jason had worried about advertising
their identities, but Jamie and Andros had assured him that bright colors
were the norm. Now, on the streets of Chorida, Jason saw that that was
an understatement.
Music came from
everywhere, on instruments that made Jason think of Irish dance music.
Food vendors lined the streets, although he wasn't about to eat anything
he couldn't identify. Larry had told him once that Zarakin food made Cajun
cooking seem bland, and he had no desire to scorch his mouth. But the thing
that made the biggest impression on Jason was the people. He hadn't seen
this many people having fun since the last street fair in Angel Grove.
Even then, there hadn't been quite the same atmosphere. It was infectious;
he found himself enjoying his surroundings, and saw that the others were
feeling the same way.
TJ had accepted
a metorak vendor's offer of a free sample, and had astounded even the Zarakin
watchers by consuming the spicy meat without wincing. This had prompted
one of the onlookers to buy him a drink, which the Blue Astro Ranger gratefully
accepted.
Rocky'd been
pulled into a ball game with several children of varying ages, and had
apparently learned the rules quickly. Katarina had been dragged into it
as well, and the two of them were having the time of their lives.
Chris was blushing
bright red- apparently one of the young women in the crowd had asked if
he wanted to accompany her back to her inn. Jason chuckled. He knew that
Zarakin were quite practical about sex, but it still came as a bit of a
shock the first time you saw it.
And Jamie...
Jamie was in her element. She was laughing, dancing, and trading barbs
with crowd members, all with an ease that gave Jason pause. Sometimes he
forgot that Jamie wasn't completely human. She was half-human, with the
lifespan and cultural background of an Earth inhabitant, but part of her
was Zarakin, and always would be. It was the part that allowed her to channel
the power of the Sword of Lightning, the part that made her the Purple
Zeo Ranger.
"What's up?"
she asked, coming back over to him. He just shook his head, drawing her
a little closer.
"Nothing. Just
thinking about how much I love you." Leaning over slightly, he gave her
a kiss.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Dad?" Franklin
called, pushing open the front door to his house. "Are you here?"
"In the family
room!" his mother's voice floated back. Franklin led Joyce through the
front hall and into the family room. His mother was putting together a
jigsaw puzzle, while his father was watching a hockey game. Both parents
looked up as their son entered.
"Mrs. McCormick,
these are my parents. Mom, Dad, this is Mrs. McCormick. She's the mother
to two of the Beetleborgs."
Trevor rose
from his chair with a look of understanding on his face. "Welcome to the
club, Mrs. McCormick."
She shook his
offered hand. "Please, call me Joyce."
"Then I'm Trevor."
"And I'm Eileen,"
Mrs. Park put in. "Sit down, please. Would you like a beer?"
Joyce nodded,
sinking into one of the family room chairs as Trevor shut off the TV. "Please.
After everything that's happened today, I think I need one."
"I'm going to
head back to the Power Chamber," Franklin informed the three adults. "Mrs.
McCormick, I promise you, we're going to find him."
She smiled.
"Thank you, Franklin." The Green Turbo Ranger teleported out, just as his
mother came back into the room.
"I thought we
could all use a beer," Eileen Park announced, passing one bottle to her
husband. "What happened today, besides finding out that your children are
superheroes?"
Quickly, Joyce
related the events of her kidnapping and Drew's subsequent capture. Eileen
looked on in concern, while Trevor's face went hard and his hand absently
went up to touch the bandage on his shoulder. When she wound down, Joyce
looked at the other two adults with an exhausted expression.
"I'm just at
my wits end here. On top of my worry about Drew, I have to deal with the
fact that they've been risking their lives for two years, and I never knew
it. Jo was NINE when all this started!"
Trevor smiled
slightly. "It's quite an adjustment. I have two Rangers for sons, myself.
Of course, Adam was sixteen when he became a Ranger, and eighteen when
I found out, and I knew about Franklin from the start of his career. But
I do understand what you're feeling to some extent."
"How do you
deal with it? What's it like?"
"Well- they'll
stop lying to you, which would seem to be a plus. Of course, there will
be days when it doesn't seem that way. When they tell you that they got
their clothes dirty while mud-wrestling a mutant alligator, you might wish
they would lie. They'll be running out of the house at all hours, and you'll
worry, which you didn't before. They'll stop obeying you- but they'll start
listening instead. In short, your children have jumped from fourteen to
twenty-five, in terms of maturity. You just have to start seeing them as
rational adults a little earlier than most parents do."
Joyce sighed.
"I always told myself that I wouldn't let anything happen to Drew and Jo.
After I lost Harry- I guess I got a little paranoid. And now they're spending
their time chasing monsters, and there's a triceratops-thing which has
quite basically sworn to kill my son!" She looked up. "I saw one of the
fights on the news. It's no secret to Charterville that Nukus and Chromium
Gold can't stand each other. There's a pretty nasty vendetta between them."
Eileen nodded.
"That sort of thing happens. One thing you have to remember, though. Drew
and Jo aren't alone in this. They have Roland, and- who were the others
Franklin was talking about last night?"
"Flabber and
Art Fortunes," Trevor replied. "Admittedly, a hyperactive phasm and a cartoon
artist might not seem like the most potent backup to have, but the five
of them are an excellent team. And as Franklin and Adam both tell me, it's
the team that ends up winning."
"I hope you're
right," Joyce sighed.
Trevor nodded.
"Me too."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"What is this
place?" Chelsea asked, following Ecliptor into a building. "No, wait, I
know what it is. Bars don't look that different from planet to planet.
The question I should ask is why we're here?"
"There's not
much we can do on the ship until Sholtor finishes his diagnosis. I'm looking
for someone."
"Do they owe
you a favor? Or the other way around?"
Ecliptor chuckled,
scanning the room. "Neither, actually. I've got a- mutually beneficial
arrangement to suggest." Chelsea followed his gaze. As she'd said, it really
didn't look all that different from a bar on Earth. There were tables,
a dance floor, and a number of people sitting at the bar itself, drinking
away. The only difference was that the patrons looked like something out
of the Mos Eisley Cantina.
"So why did
you want me to come?" she asked. She didn't trust Ecliptor any farther
than she could throw him.
"The arrangement
concerns you."
"And you weren't
going to inform me of it?" she asked icily.
He laughed.
"I knew I didn't have to. You'd ask."
"What is this
arrangement?" she growled. Her patience was wearing thin.
"Has Trey ever
told you of the Deshaadra?" At her headshake, he continued. "They are an
order of warriors who sell their swords to the highest bidder- or the noblest
cause. It depends on the personal code of the warrior. They're quite probably
the only organization in the galaxy respected by both the Council and the
Alliance, and are ruled by neither."
"And this person
you're looking for- he or she is a member of this order?" she inquired,
catching on.
"Exactly. The
Black Falcon, one of the best in the business, and one of the few warriors
allowed to remain wild."
"Wild?"
"Not a member
of a- clan is as close as I can come, but they aren't really related by
blood. The word they use is "garal." The garal are warriors bound by apprentice
ties or sword bonds. They fight under the same banner, and are subject
to the commands of a single leader. The Black Falcon, however, is not a
part of any garal whatsoever."
"So what's this
arrangement you want to make?" Chelsea's fuse was growing far too short,
and Ecliptor noticed.
"I want to ask
him to take you on as an apprentice."
"What?"
"The Falcon
needs an apprentice- it's a tradition of the order to have at least one,
and he's getting on in his career. We're going to be on this planet for
a while, and you need something to keep you from going insane with worry
over the Prince. Besides, if you're a member of the Deshaadra, and the
Black Falcon's apprentice, the Council will regard you in a much better
light than if you were simply an Earth girl."
"The trial is
what, two weeks away? You think I can complete an apprenticeship in two
weeks?"
"Less. Most
of the training is things you already know." The crystalline warrior grinned.
"I keep a close eye on the Power Rangers. I know the things you and your
brother have picked up over the years. Stealth tactics, fighting, picking
locks- you already know all of that. Most of the Falcon's time will be
taken with testing you, and then giving you the last bits of polish a Deshaadra
needs."
"If he even
says yes," Chelsea reminded him practically.
Ecliptor chuckled.
"He will. There he is. Come with me." The two of them crossed the bar floor
towards their target.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adam whistled
softly. "Quite a place," he remarked. Beside him, Ashley nodded speechlessly.
The six teens stood on the rocky shore of Phaedos, looking around in astonishment.
Around them, cliffs and rocky promontories stretched as far as any of them
could see.
"So how do we
find this Dulcea person?" Carlos asked.
Billy chuckled.
"She'll find us, most likely. But as I recall, her compound is in that
direction. Come on."
As they walked,
Christina noticed her boyfriend beginning to tense up. "What's the matter?"
she asked quietly.
"I guess I just
keep expecting the Tengas to pop out of nowhere. This was where they attacked
us in the other universe."
"But Rita's
not after us this time," Christina informed him.
He sighed. "I
know, but I'm still jumpy."
Just then, a
horrendous screech echoed across the rocky seashore. Several of the Rangers
stanced, but Billy waved them back. "It's all right," he called. "It's
Dulcea."
With a thump,
a figure landed on the rocks in front of the six teens. Clad in a green
bikini-style outfit, the woman was tall and muscular, with dark blond hair
and light blue eyes. "How do you know my name?" she asked, gripping a staff
suspiciously. "For I am quite certain we have never met before."
Billy grimaced.
"Well, we have, or rather, versions of us in an alternate universe have.
But that doesn't really matter. We have a problem, and we've come for your
help."
She shook her
head. "I will send no more after the Great Power. Too many have already
died in the attempt."
"We don't need
the Great Power," Tanya replied. "We've already got powers of our own."
"You're what
we've come looking for," Carlos added. "We need you to help our mentor,
Zordon."
Dulcea's eyes
lit up. "Zordon? You are Earth's Rangers?"
Billy nodded.
"Yes, and Zordon is in deep trouble. He's been arrested for violating some
sort of non-interference law, and we need people to testify on his behalf."
"I would do
anything within my power to help Zordon," Dulcea sighed. "We were quite
close during the time of the Order. But when I became Master Warrior of
Phaedos, I was sealed to the Sacred Grounds of the Ninjetti. I cannot leave
them, or I will begin to rapidly age." She smiled slightly. "After all,
I should be the same age as Lexian. It is the magic of the Grounds that
keeps me young."
Seeing the Rangers
deflate, she cast her thoughts about for another solution. Suddenly her
head snapped up. "Ninjetti!" she cried. "You said that the six of you are
Rangers?"
Billy nodded.
"Well- technically, Adam and I are the only ones who have ever held Morphin
Power. Carlos and Ashley are Astro Rangers, and Tanya and Christina are
Zeo Rangers."
"But Zordon
approved all six of you, so you are pure of heart and spirit. If you were
to take up the mantle of the Ninjetti, the Council would have to accept
that. The Great Power will not accept those who are not worthy. Plus, the
power would allow you to create a link that would allow me to testify on
Zordon's behalf."
Adam raised
an eyebrow. "Can we do that?"
"I shall train
you in the time we have remaining before the trial. Come, follow me." With
that, she turned and headed towards her compound, the six Rangers trailing
behind.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Oh, wow," Kimberly
whispered. The other four Earth Rangers nodded, silently echoing her awe.
Andros, beside them, simply watched in amusement. The six of them had just
left the teleportation station located in the middle of Elarus, capital
city of Eltare. Apparently, the metal-and-crystal construction of Eltaren
architecture had captured the attention of the five humans. Andros couldn't
exactly blame them. He himself had had a similar reaction on his first
visit to Eltare. Chivvying them out of the traffic, he leaned against a
wall and tried to see things as his friends were seeing them.
The square was
filled with all sorts of people, on all sorts of errands. Despite the activity,
though, the atmosphere of the place was one of quiet serenity. Eltarens,
as a rule, were a very serene race.
"Everybody's
eyes full?" Andros asked, amused. Cassie managed to tear herself away from
the view long enough to nod.
"I guess so.
Wow, it's just so- different."
"And beautiful,"
Trini added.
Shaking herself,
Kat got down to business. "So, what's our plan?"
"We head to
Imperial Square, and I try to get us in to see the King. The government
of Eltare definitely needs to know about what's being planned for Zordon."
"Well, lead
the way," Kim gestured.
As they walked,
Skull examined the buildings and people around him with a detective's eye.
Eltare was certainly a beautiful place, but it wasn't anywhere he would
want to live. There was a certain- lack of passion to everything.
"They're not
big on emotions here, are they?" he asked Andros quietly.
The Kerovan
Ranger smiled. "No. Eltaren culture is focused primarily on the intellect.
Emotional response is to be hidden as much as possible. To an Eltaren,
nothing is quite so vulgar as a display of emotion, whether joy, anger,
or anything else."
"I hope we don't
have to stay here too long," Kat added. "It's like being cooped up in a
hospital."
"Sterile, antiseptic,"
Trini agreed. "There is such a thing as too much peace and quiet."
Before her companions
could respond to that, the six of them entered Imperial Square. Even Andros
was struck speechless by the beauty of the Palace in the afternoon sunlight.
Gold, silver, and crystal glowed, making the building look like something
out of a fairy tale.
"Hey, check
it out!" Cassie pointed. "A statue!"
As the group
crossed the square, Andros began to nod. "That statue was erected after
the Grid War."
"Grid War?"
Kat asked.
"The first and
only major offensive by the forces of the Alliance against the Council.
Ten thousand years ago, the UAE launched a galaxy-wide strike on all Council
planets. Ranger teams were overwhelmed, and far too many people were enslaved
or slaughtered before the Council managed to pull together. The Order of
the Meledan, Zordon and his teammates, were instrumental in coordinating
the defense. Of course, they'd all moved onto other things by that time.
Zordon, in particular, was mentoring a team of Rangers, a team that used
six coins he'd found in an ancient Eltaren ruin. The team was formed to
protect any planet that was under attack, not just to guard one planet
from all comers." Andros smiled slightly. "Zordon was a very adventurous
person, especially for an Eltaren. Anyway, Zordon faced the most powerful
thrust of the UAE, the attack by the sorceress Rita Repulsa, who was creating
a spell which would give the Alliance total victory. Zordon's Rangers managed
to confine her in the dumpster, but at the cost of their lives. Meanwhile,
Rita's final parting shot was to trap Zordon in the time warp where he
remains to this day. This statue was erected to honor their courage."
"You know a
lot about it," Cassie said quietly.
"It's galactic
history, taught to every schoolchild. My parents brought me here when I
was very young. The statue faces east, towards the rising sun. That signifies
the dawning of a new era, and the permanence of their memory."
The teens examined
the statue. In front was a man in some sort of armor, and behind him stood
six people in obvious Ranger gear. By the shape of their bodies, three
were definitely female. Skull cocked his head. "Those Ranger uniforms look
very familiar," he commented.
"They should,"
Andros responded. "The coins used by these six are the same ones that the
six original Rangers of Earth used. This battle was when Rita got her hands
on the Green Coin."
"The Green Ranger
is a woman," Kimberly noticed.
"Chylia Del
Shan, an Edenite. She was married to the Red Ranger, who was from Danata.
That caused a bit of a stir. Eltarens and Zarakin don't usually get along
very well, but Zordon was always unconventional."
The group was
silent for a time, contemplating the sacrifices of the teams before them.
Then Andros straightened.
"Come on. We'd
better head for the Palace."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
During his time
with the Crustaceans, Les Fortunes had seen many emotions on Nukus' face.
Anger, generally caused by the defeat of yet another monster, surprise,
satisfaction, and the occasional expression of unholy joy, all of these
had crossed Nukus' features at one time or another. But the pure, naked
shock on the Crustacean leader's face as Shadowborg carried an unconscious
Drew McCormick into the crypt, that was a new one.
"And just what
are you planning to do with that?" Nukus asked, gesturing to the comatose
Beetleborg.
"I plan to get
the ultimate revenge on the Beetleborgs, something I'm sure you'll be interested
in," Shadowborg replied, setting Drew down on a nearby table. "We'll turn
their own leader against them. They'll never be able to fight their precious
Drew, and he'll rip through them like a hungry wolf."
"Why this one?"
Horribelle asked, looking the unconscious boy over. "Wouldn't the girl
have worked just as well?"
Shadowborg shook
his head. "No. In the first place, only Drew has the necessary darkness
of spirit to make the control work. When he used Vexor's energy axis to
make himself Mega Blue Beetleborg, we were connected, if only for an instant.
I felt it. Pain, anger, fear, they shine like wildfire in his soul.
The girl doesn't burn with a fraction of it. Besides, he gets too unpredictable
when he's angry. I can easily use him to control the other two, but to
use one of the others against him would be suicide."
"Will he be
as effective working for us as he is with the Beetleborgs?" Vilor wanted
to know.
"More so," Shadowborg
responded.
As the Crustaceans
shared an evil laugh, Les Fortunes crept over to the unconscious Beetleborg.
Asleep, he didn't look very formidable. You couldn't see the blazing blue
eyes, or the defiant set to the chin. Les had come to know THAT look quite
well. It was the one that said Drew wasn't backing down, and usually meant
the newest Crustacean monster was headed back to the printed page. But
out cold, Drew seemed no more than an average teenage boy.
Suddenly his
eyelids began to flutter. Quickly, Les backed away. If Drew was not under
Shadowborg's control, the cartoonist had no desire to be at the center
of the impending hurricane. And if the boy WAS Shadowborg's pawn- Les wasn't
too sure he wanted to be near him anyway.
Sitting up,
Drew looked around himself with a calm generally not consistent with finding
oneself in the middle of the enemy's stronghold. As his gaze swept the
room, his eyes met Les', and the older man shivered. There was no question
that Shadowborg's conditioning had worked. The boy's eyes were like blue
ice, cold and hostile. Leaping off the table, Drew strolled over to where
the Crustaceans stood watching. His movements exuded a subtle, flowing
grace more consistent with Shadowborg than with his normal walk. Stopping
before Nukus, Drew bowed deeply.
"I am at your
service, Nukus. What is your command?" he asked, his voice sufficient to
freeze nitrogen.
Nukus could
hardly believe his eyes. His greatest enemy, the leader of the Beetleborgs,
was bowing before him. Kneeling would have been better, but Nukus knew
not to push his luck.
"Shadowborg,
this is incredible! How did you accomplish this?"
"It wasn't all
that hard," Shadowborg explained. "You and he aren't all that different,
actually. He may fight to protect his town and his friends, but his heart
is capable of just as much destructive rage as yours. I just put him into
a receptive mood, pushed a few buttons, and let that side of him take over.
Of course, I had to promise him a couple of things."
"Such as?" Horribelle
inquired.
"There is a
girl named Heather who works at Zoom Comics. She is not to be harmed."
Nukus nodded.
"Done. And the other?"
To the surprise
of the Crustaceans, it was Drew who spoke. "Josh Baldwin, the former White
Blaster Beetleborg. He's MINE."
Regarding his
newest warrior for a long moment, Nukus nodded again. "It shall be done.
And together, there is no force on Earth that can stand against us."
In his cowering
corner, Les Fortunes shivered at the mocking laughter that filled the chamber.
He didn't like the way this was heading, not at all. Even a Beetleborg
deserved a better fate than this. Besides, with two warriors such as Drew
and the Shadowborg, Nukus had little need for monsters. How much longer
would he continue to need Les Fortunes?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why was it, Red
Ranger wondered, that every time he came to Edenoi, he found himself being
attacked by the people he'd come to help? His first trip, he'd nearly been
beaten senseless by the Masked Rider. Now he was staring into the business
end of a blaster, held by a resistance member that he'd just rescued from
Dregon's Plague Patrol.
"Um, did someone
forget to tell you that we're the good guys?" Zack asked hopefully. The
smaller Edenite, the one who held the gun, just shifted so that she could
better cover the five of them.
Red Ranger,
looking at the brown-haired, brown-eyed man beside her, finally felt the
sensation of recognition click into his mind. "Donaeus?" he asked.
The Edenite
raised an eyebrow. "Do I know you? I'm not usually on a first-name basis
with Dregon's goons."
Red Ranger groaned.
"That was what you took me for the last time. It was almost three years
ago. I was wearing white, and you were part of the Prince's guard. You
attacked us, until we convinced you that Alpha had sent us. Meanwhile,
I was getting beaten up by Dex."
Donaeus' jaw
dropped. "Tommy?" He turned to his companion. "Put the blaster away, Sharana.
They're on our side."
"Are you sure
of that?" the girl asked, gray eyes never leaving the five before her.
"Dregon's goons
have too much ego to admit that Dex wiped the floor with them. Besides,
I remember this one."
Reluctantly,
Sharana holstered her blaster, but the look she turned on the newcomers
said that she was not at all convinced.
"Look, if I'll
make you feel better, take a look at this," Daystar sighed, digging into
a pocket of her jacket. She had traded in her uniform bodysuit for Earth-style
jeans and a T-shirt, but had refused to leave the leather jacket behind.
Pulling out a silver star, she showed it to the two Edenites.
"IGPF?" Donaeus
asked, impressed. "This is an interesting group. So what brings a Power
Ranger and a police lieutenant to the war-torn planet of Edenoi?"
"We need to
meet with King Lexian," Red Ranger replied. "Can you take us to him?"
Donaeus nodded,
ignoring his companion's scandalized glance. "Follow us. We were just headed
back to the base." Quickly, the seven moved off.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parker whistled,
looking around the cavern that housed the main base for the Edenite Resistance.
"Nice place," he remarked. "Kind of looks like Hoth, but without the ice."
His sister elbowed him in the ribs, while Zack rolled his eyes and Tommy
just shook his head. Daystar, who didn't get the joke, just shrugged.
The five newcomers
followed Donaeus through the cavern, up a natural stair formation, and
into a network of tunnels. Every twist and turn looked like the next, and
Tommy realized that without a guide, no one would ever be able to navigate
the corridors of the base. Which, he supposed, was the whole point.
Stopping at
a curtained cave entrance, Donaeus turned to the group. "Wait here," he
instructed. "I'll be right back." Then he ducked through the entrance and
was gone.
"He's lucky
this isn't a horror movie," Zack joked, only to be elbowed by both Lillian
and Parker.
After a few
moments, Donaeus came back out. "King Lexian will see you now," he reported.
Pushing the curtain aside, the young Edenite led the five of them into
the cave.
Inside, King
Lexian was standing at a table upon which lay a holographic map of the
surrounding terrain. Other maps hung on the walls all around. Most of them
glowed a brilliant blue, with other areas limned in yellow. Only a very
few spots shone red, a color which the reporter assumed meant enemy territory.
"Welcome, Power
Rangers," Lexian bowed. "What is so urgent that you leave your planet to
come to Edenoi?"
"Zordon has
been arrested for violating some sort of non-interference law," Tommy replied
bluntly. "People have been looking the other way for five years, but all
of a sudden, they've decided to throw the book at him. We need your testimony
to prove that he's still capable of fulfilling his duties."
Lexian sighed.
"I would give almost anything to assist my old friend, but my first duty
is to my people. We are winning this war, but it is not yet over. I cannot
leave in the middle of this crisis."
Tommy nodded.
If there was one thing in the world that he understood, it was duty. He
chewed his lip, trying to think.
"Your Majesty,"
Daystar suddenly interrupted, "is this the only major stronghold left to
Dregon?" she asked, pointing at a large red area on the table map. The
king of Edenoi nodded.
"Yes. Tae Shalrith,
one of the oldest structures still in existence. It dates back to the time
of Kramon, before the coming of Erex, the first Masked Rider. The Warlord
built his structures to last."
"If that fell
to the Resistance, it would pretty much be all over but the shouting, wouldn't
it?" Parker asked, seeing where Daystar's train of thought was going.
"And surely
the Resistance could handle clean-up without you," Zack added, catching
on.
Lexian thought
for a long moment, then nodded. "Yes, I believe they could. But Tae Shalrith
is nearly impenetrable. The combined forces of the entire Rebellion couldn't
pry Kramon out of that hole. Erex himself had to go in after the tyrant."
Tommy grinned.
"As my friend Billy likes to say, nothing is impossible. It'll take a lot
of teamwork, and a very good plan, but if we work together, I think we
can win this war."
Lexian smiled,
extending his hand. "Then let us begin. The final battle for the freedom
of Edenoi is at hand."
Taking Lexian's
hand, Tommy shook it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Wow," Jason
remarked, watching the action in the center of the square intently. Four
combatants, three men and one woman, were involved in some sort of complicated
sparring match. The rules were unclear, but it seemed to be some sort of
"last-man-standing" competition. The fighters were constantly changing
alliances, two working together to take on an opponent, then just as swiftly
turning on each other. The skills being shown were absolutely incredible.
Suddenly some
sort of referee on the sidelines called out "Swords!" The fighters raised
their hands into the air, and four blades appeared in their hands in multi-colored
flashes of light. As if in response to the scene before her, Jamie's body
began to crackle with lightning energy. A rumble from the sky above them
started people edging away from her in the crowd.
In a flash of
purple light, Jamie's Sword appeared in her hand. "Oh, sh-" The rest of
her statement was drowned out as a huge bolt of lightning shot from her
blade into the sky, producing a deafening clap of thunder. Instantly the
six Rangers found themselves the center of attention.
"And that was?"
TJ asked calmly, ignoring the ringing in his ears.
The crowd began
to point and whisper, and Chris threw his friends a wry look. "So much
for low-profile, huh?"
"Coming through
here!" a voice called. The speaker seemed to be approximately sixty years
old, with a shock of brilliant white hair and sharp hazel eyes. Flanking
him were the four combatants from the square. All around the Rangers, people
fell onto one knee, leaving the six of them the only ones standing.
"Who are you,
warrior, that you hold the Sword of Lightning? Last anyone knew, the sixth
Elemental Blade had been lost for many centuries" the man asked.
Jamie sighed.
"My name is Jamie Zedden. I'm the Purple Zeo Ranger of Earth, and my father
was Lord Zedd," she replied, looking him in the eye.
The man raised
an eyebrow. "I have heard of you, my half-sister. I am Zarador."
Jamie bowed.
"Your Majesty." She did NOT kneel, a fact which did not go unnoticed by
Zarador, who grinned.
"I would appreciate
it if you and your Rangers would accompany me back to the palace."
"Of course,"
Jamie agreed. As the group headed back towards the Palace, Rocky asked
the question on everyone's mind.
"What happened
back there, anyway?"
"We are the
bearers of the Elemental Blades, or at least those four which are in Zarakin
possession," the woman accompanying Zarador replied. "I hold the Sword
of Heart, Xaran owns the Sword of Wind, the Sword of Water belongs to Brador,
and Marak is the owner of the Sword of Earth. When the four of us summoned
our blades at the same time, it caused a chain reaction and your friend's
blade reacted, being in close proximity."
"Ah," Katarina
replied. There wasn't really anything else to say.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Well, of course
I'll help," Zarador replied instantly, as soon as Jamie had related the
problem to him. "I haven't been involved in a good battle in FAR too long.
And make no mistake, this will be a battle, even if the weapons are political."
Jamie nodded.
"Yeah, I know. That's why we're getting as many allies as we can. Most
of us don't know the first thing about galactic politics."
Zarador made
a face. "It's not my area of expertise either. What do you think I have
advisors for? You don't know how often I've wished I was back with the
Order, getting into trouble."
Jamie grinned.
She had been anxious about meeting a half-brother who was physically old
enough to be her grandfather, but that had gone right out the window after
meeting Zarador. The king of the Zarakin had the body of a man half his
age, and a demeanor to match. The Rangers had been received warmly, but
without a lot of pomp and circumstance, for which Jamie was thankful. Zarador
had then ordered dinner, instructing the cook to make the dishes bland
for everyone except TJ and Jamie, both of whom had discovered they LIKED
Zarakin cooking. Now the seven of them were ensconced in Zarador's study,
discussing the matters at hand.
Zarador cocked
his head. "Ouch. I just thought of something. I might support you, but
I'm not the sole representative of my race. A number of my nobles might
balk at the prospect of supporting a half-human, whose Zarakin parent is
Lord Zedd, and who wasn't even raised on Danata."
"Wasn't Zedd
your father, too?" Jason asked from the comfortable chair he was lounging
in.
"Yes, but they
tend to forget that, since I've proven myself. Besides, in Jamie's case,
it's just icing on the cake. They'll contend that since she's half-human,
an Earth child, and above all, FEMALE, she isn't worthy of the risk we'd
be taking."
"A woman has
to fight tooth and nail to get up the ladder here, too, huh?" Chris asked,
shaking his head. Zarador snorted.
"You'd better
believe it. Heck, Chala, who holds the Sword of Heart, she had to disguise
herself as a boy to get into the House of Swords. They're the bodyguards
to the king," he explained quickly. "We're out of the 'women should be
seen and not heard' stage, but there's still a fair amount of prejudice
out there. I, of course, had all that wiped from my mind the first time
I sparred Dulcea." The older man winced, rubbing the back of his neck,
remembering.
"So what do
we do?" TJ asked. "Is there any way we can sway the nobles to our side?"
Zarador nodded.
"Yes, and your timing is nothing short of impeccable. Two days from now,
there's going to be a gathering on the Sea of Grass. It's ostensibly to
honor the Goddess at the ancient Temple of the Winds, but for centuries
it's also been a time for the king to meet with his nobles and get some
work done. You will have to prove yourselves in combat, against the best
warriors of Danata. Do you think you can do that?"
Rocky grimaced.
"Do we have a choice? We need as much support as we can get."
"Very well.
I'll have the maids show you to some rooms where you can spend tonight,
and tomorrow we will leave for the Temple."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Oooogh." Lita
Kino sat up, rubbing her head. Looking at the insanity around her, she
frowned. "How long was I out and what happened?" she asked of no one in
particular.
"It's a long
story," Jeb replied. "Art said you'd want these when you woke up."
Looking at what
the Coonhound was pointing to, Lita saw that Art Fortunes had left her
a pair of Tylenol and a glass of water. Gratefully, the psychiatrist gulped
down the painkillers. "Now, about that long story, Jeb,- make it short."
"Shadowborg
kidnapped Joyce McCormick and used her as bait to trap Drew. Drew bit,
Jo rescued Joyce, but Shadowborg has Drew prisoner and Egon can't get a
fix on him with the computer. Joyce has gone to talk to the Parks, and
everybody else is just going a little nuts."
"So I see,"
Lita replied. Justin and Egon were huddled over the computers, working
with Flabber and the Professor, trying frantically to find Drew's bio-signature
with the scanners. So far, they hadn't had any luck. Meanwhile, JB, Ray,
and Art Fortunes were laboring over the still-non-functional Dragon Borg,
occasionally making some comment or another in a low tone. Jo was still
out like a light, with Winston Zeddemore sitting beside her, occasionally
making sure she was still breathing. And Ryan, Kaitlin, and Katie were
trying to keep Roland calm. The Titanium Silver Beetleborg was pacing,
and looked wound tightly enough to snap at any moment. Dex was nowhere
to be seen.
"Where's Dex?"
Lita asked, rubbing her head.
"He said something
about having something to check out at Pyramidas, whatever that is," the
dog replied.
"The Gold Ranger's
Zord," Lita replied absently. Trey had occasionally mentioned that he and
the Prince of Edenoi had been friends, but she didn't know a great deal
about it. What could Dex be looking for that he would want to find in Pyramidas?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Entering his
access code, Dex let himself into the cavernous Zord. It hadn't changed
much since the last time he'd been inside it, although a few things here
and there hinted that the Zord hadn't been doing much flying in the past
two years. Things such as the couch in the main living area, which wasn't
secured to the floor in any way. On one of the tables there, Dex found
a picture of an attractive young woman, who resembled Tommy in some features.
This had to be Trey's fiancee, Chelsea Oliver. Dex grinned. He didn't know
the girl personally, but from what he knew of Tommy, he could see Trey's
advisors being set on their ears when the match was announced.
Putting the
picture down, Dex headed for the main data banks. Trey kept a journal in
the Zord's computers, and Dex was one of the few people who had the access
code. He and Trey had been friends for a very long time, longer than most
humans would credit. They had very few secrets from each other any more.
Sitting down at one of the computer terminals, Dex quickly brought up the
journal program. He was tempted to read through Trey's accounts of the
past two years, but he didn't really have the time. Scrolling down, he
came to the last entry and began to read.
Dex's jaw hit
the floor. Trey had joined forces with ECLIPTOR? He could think of few
people that Trey hated worse than Dark Specter's lieutenant. According
to the journal, Trey had simply told the Rangers that he'd found other
transportation to Triforia, and didn't want to endanger them by going.
Now this was
interesting. Ecliptor alleged that someone named Darkonda was behind the
attacks. The only Darkonda Dex knew of was a member of the Council, one
of the good guys. As much as he hated to admit it, however, this made sense.
A Council representative would be in the perfect position to direct an
assault on Zordon and Trey. It also explained why no-one had come after
him. As far as the Council knew, he was still on Edenoi, fighting to displace
Dregon. His grandfather had seen to that, ensuring that no one would attempt
to arrest him for violating the interdict placed on Earth.
Shutting the
journal program, Dex bit his lip. He had the utmost faith in Trey, but
he still couldn't help worrying about his friend. They hadn't seen each
other in almost five years, not since Dregon's attack on Edenoi, but they
had been friends for nine hundred years before that. Dex had been the Earth
equivalent of seven, while Trey had been fifteen. They had met on Triforia,
at one of those interminable social events that planetary monarchs always
felt compelled to drag their heirs to. The two boys had both been bored
out of their minds, and had relieved their boredom in the time-honored
tradition of boys everywhere- by getting into trouble. Dex didn't recall
exactly how it had happened, but he and Trey had wound up covered in mud,
chasing an escaped aoridil through the throne room. Dex could still remember
the expression on his grandfather and Lord Terrian's faces upon seeing
the heirs to the Triforian and Edenite thrones covered in mud from head
to toe. It had taken both kings all of their self-control to keep from
laughing.
That had been
the start of a fast friendship between Dex and Trey. No one had thought
it would last, since Triforians aged at half the rate of Edenites, but
that had caused no problems. Instead, they had grown closer as they had
matured, and Dex became closer and closer to Trey's age. The two simply
had a great deal in common, both being heirs to both the kingship of their
planets and of a tradition older even than that. Sometimes, Dex thought
Trey was the only person he could talk to.
Sighing, the
Edenite prince stood. He was worried about Trey, but there wasn't much
he could do to help his friend. He'd best get back to the Power Chamber.
At least there he could do something to help.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was full dark
by the time the six Rangers reached the ruins of the Ninjetti Temple, where
Dulcea made her home. Pointing at the firepit in the center of the circle,
Dulcea cast a bolt of green energy at the wood within, igniting a blaze.
"Please, stand before the fire, Rangers," she instructed. The six teens
did as she asked, arranging themselves in a loose semicircle around the
flames. Billy stared into the leaping fire, memories echoing in his mind.
"Ninjetti is
but one of three subsets composing the Great Power," Dulcea informed them.
"The Great Power is an ancient subset of the Morphin Grid, a power which
comes not from an external connection to the Grid, but from a link buried
in the spark of life that all creatures hold within. The source of the
Great Power is in your soul, Rangers, not within a coin, or a crystal.
But the power itself is very like that which the Morphin Rangers among
you are used to using. Ninjetti, the best known division, is the level
of the spirit, and has animals accordingly. However, there are also divisions
for the body and mind levels. The Sauria and Thunderae divisions have passed
into obscurity, however."
"Stare into
the fire, Rangers, and search within yourself. Discover your Grid spirit,
and you will discover your power. Look deep within, into your spirit."
Taking a deep
breath, each Ranger did as she instructed, closing his or her eyes. For
a long moment, nothing happened. Then, slowly, blue luminescence began
to swirl from the ground, around the feet of the Rangers. Like miniature
glowing tornadoes, the light swirled up and around, until each Ranger was
enveloped in a cocoon of light. Then the light died, revealing the six
of them clad in new uniforms.
Billy recognized
his from his false memories, and Adam, Christina, and Tanya had seen Tommy's
Morphin Warrior uniform before. For Carlos and Ashley, however, this was
totally new, and they marveled at the outfits covering them, as well as
the colors. Not every Ranger, it seemed, wore the color that he or she
usually sported. Billy, Christina, and Adam were dressed in their customary
Ranger colors, but Ashley's outfit was blue, Tanya's uniform was black,
and Carlos found himself swathed in a costume of purple.
With a smile,
Dulcea stepped up to Billy, the first in line. "Billy, you are intelligent
and patient. Your Grid Spirit is the Blue Wolf."
"Adam, you are
peaceful and creative. You follow the Black Frog." Adam sighed, but nodded.
He'd had a number of years to come to grips with his amphibian Grid Spirit.
"Christina.
You are insightful and always calm. Your guardian shall be the White Falcon."
Winged Lord
of the Skies, Billy's memory echoed, as he watched Christina trace
the falcon on her coin.
"Ashley, your
intelligence serves you well, and you never give up on a problem. You shall
be guided by the Blue Unicorn."
"Tanya, caring
and energetic. Your Spirit shall be the Black Lion." Tanya threw a grin
at Adam, who just smiled back.
Lastly, Dulcea
came to Carlos. "Carlos, you are tenacious and always willing to try something
new. The Grid Spirit you follow will be the Purple Chameleon." Carlos nodded,
remembering that that signified Purple Ninja.
"Trust your
Grid Spirits, Rangers, and they shall watch over you." Snapping her fingers,
Dulcea caused six color-coded bedrolls to appear. "Sleep now. In the morning,
your training begins."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Excuse me,"
Ecliptor began, coming up to a man sitting on a bar stool.
"I'm not looking
for work," the man replied, not looking up from his drink. Chelsea, standing
next to Ecliptor, snickered, sizing the other man up. He was humanoid,
the same height as she was. His hair was a dusky gray, and one lock fell
down over his forehead to hang between his eyes. One of those eyes was
covered by a black patch, and the other one was deep black, with a flash
of intelligence. He wore a black bodysuit, with a belt full of gadgets
on it. To top it all off, he had the worst accent she had ever heard. It
almost sounded as if he were from the Bronx.
"I'm not looking
to hire you," Ecliptor shot back. "I do, however, have an arrangement that
you might wish to take part in."
The Black Falcon
looked up at that, raising an eyebrow as he saw who stood behind him. "What
type of arrangement?" he inquired. "I don't usually do business with Dark
Specter."
"You've let
it be known that you're looking for an apprentice," Ecliptor replied, ignoring
the dig. "I believe I have a suitable candidate."
The Falcon laughed.
"I KNOW you don't mean you." His eyes suddenly fell on Chelsea, who shrugged.
"Her?"
"Yes. You'll
find she's a very fast learner, and already knows a great deal of what
you might teach her."
"Does she have
a name?"
"Yes, and a
voice, too," Chelsea interrupted, annoyed at being discussed like so much
cattle. "My name is Chelsea Oliver."
The Falcon grinned.
"You've got spunk, too. What makes you think you wanna be a Deshaadra?"
She shrugged.
"It was his idea. Look, I'll lay my cards on the table. My fiance is the
Prince of Triforia. He's currently running from the law, and is in fact
in stasis. The trial is in two weeks. He" and here she jerked a
thumb at Ecliptor, "thinks I can go through an apprenticeship in two weeks
and impress the hell out of the Council. I just want something to do so
I don't go crazy."
Turning to Ecliptor,
the Falcon raised an eyebrow. "Do you really think she can do an apprenticeship
in two weeks?"
"She can already
pick locks, climb walls, and best me in battle," Ecliptor replied simply.
"She's mastered most basic explosives and booby-traps, and she thinks on
her feet. Yes, I believe she can do it."
Grinning, the
Falcon stuck out a hand in Chelsea's direction. "Congratulations, kid,
you've just joined the Deshaadra."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Man, this place
makes Buckingham Palace look like a Wal-Mart," Skull breathed. The palace
guards had admitted them the instant Andros had identified himself, and
the six Rangers were currently being led through halls of white stone and
crystal.
"Eltarens love
beauty," Andros replied. "Art is one of the highest occupations in this
society."
"Everything
is white and silver and crystal," Kat whispered. "It's so cold."
"We stick out
majorly," Cassie agreed, looking at the other two Pink Rangers beside her.
Kim grinned.
"Winter roses," she replied.
"Better stick
close, Skull," Trini teased. "Wander off, and we might lose sight of you."
The group quieted
down as they were led into the throne room. This room was slightly warmer,
with red and gold banners gracing the walls. Two thrones of a silvery metal
sat at the front of the room, and in them sat two people in white robes,
with coronets upon their heads.
"Greetings,"
the man began. "I am Zartan, king of Eltare, and this is my queen, Pyria.
What brings those Rangers under my uncle's wing to our fair planet?"
Andros bowed.
"I'm afraid I have some bad news, Your Majesty," he replied. "Your uncle
has been arrested by the Council for violation of the treaty of Chrio."
Zartan raised
a dark eyebrow. "We have heard nothing of this," he replied.
"That's exactly
the problem," Andros replied. "No one has. Zordon has been placed out of
contact with the rest of the universe, and cannot summon witnesses or evidence
to his defense. Someone on the Council is orchestrating this for their
own advantage."
"These are serious
allegations, young Ranger," Pyria broke in. Her copper eyes were serious.
"Can you prove them?"
Andros shook
his head. "Not yet, Your Majesty. As yet, we don't even know the identity
of Zordon's enemy. However, it is quite obvious that someone is controlling
this. Information has leaked to the Council that could not have made it
there otherwise."
Zartan nodded.
"Zordon is a hero to our people, and he has risked much to keep us safe.
Without question, you have the support of the nobility. However, I believe
it would also be prudent for you to gain the support of the Morphin Masters.
We shall arrange a meeting for you tomorrow morning. In the meantime, feel
free to remain in the palace as our guests."
Andros bowed
again. "Many thanks, Your Majesty."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 2
"That's it,"
Egon Spengler declared, straightening up from the computer console. "If
you all don't get out of here, we're all going to go insane, me included.
Roland, stop pacing. You're making me seasick." Everyone looked up at the
physicist's declaration.
"Egon's right,"
Ray replied. "We can't all spend every waking minute in here, and we have
to accept that it might be a while before we find Drew. We've all got communicators
now, so why don't most of us go about our day as normally as possible,
and Egon and I will call you if anything develops."
"What about
Dragon Borg?" Roland replied.
"And Drew?"
added Jo. The Beetleborg girl had awakened from her sedation a few minutes
before Egon's interruption, and had reluctantly admitted that Peter's decision
had been the right one. That came as a relief to the psychologist, who
hadn't been looking forward to whatever revenge Jo could come up with.
He still didn't intend to get caught alone with her for a while, though.
"We have the
computer scanning for Drew on automatic," Egon replied. "There's really
nothing else that we can do for a while. So we'll concentrate on repairing
Dragon Borg. JB, Justin, we'll call you in a couple hours and you can take
over for us. Until then- everybody out!" Hitting a button, the blond Ghostbuster
force-teleported all sixteen of them to the park. Even Art Fortunes was
dropped into the little clearing.
The teleportees
looked at each other for a long moment, blinking. Finally, Dex shrugged.
"Now what?"
Lita stretched,
hearing joints pop. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going
home and taking a long hot bath to relax."
"Sounds good,"
Peter replied. "Can I join you?" He ducked as she swatted at him before
teleporting out.
"I think Dr.
Kino's got the right idea," Art replied. "I'm going to head back to my
studio, blow off some steam, and see if I can't find something that'll
help against Shadowborg."
"Be careful,
Art," Roland cautioned. "Shadowborg knows where you live."
"I'll be careful,"
the cartoonist replied, dissolving into white light.
Justin's stomach
suddenly growled, causing the Blue Turbo Ranger to blush. "Well, Justin's
digestive system has been heard from," Tasha grinned, amused. "Who's up
for lunch?"
Hands raised
all around, including Peter and Winston, who suddenly realized they hadn't
eaten for at least seven hours.
"Let's go to
the Youth Center," Fred suggested. "Ernie won't bat an eye if we walk in
there with fourteen people."
"Good idea,"
Rosa agreed. "And we can get a workout, too."
"I could use
a punching bag to beat on," Ryan allowed.
"So let's go
check it out," finished Winston. The group headed off.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No sooner had
the rather large group walked into the youth center than they were pounced
on by its somewhat portly owner. "Are you guys all right?" he asked the
Turbo Rangers, his voice low. "I saw what happened on the news."
Justin smiled.
"We're fine, Ernie. These are some friends of ours, in town to help out."
To the others, he said, "You can trust Ernie. He knows all about us."
Quickly, the
assorted heroes ran through the introductions. Finishing up, Ernie grinned.
"You guys are in luck. We haven't had many people in today, with the Shadowborg
threat and all, and I was just about to close down. In fact, there's only
one person in here, and I don't think you'll mind talking around him."
Ernie jerked his thumb towards the mats, where a tall figure with dark
hair and a white gi was running through a kata.
"David!" Franklin
called, waving. David Trueheart looked up from his form and waved back.
Grabbing his towel, he left the gym floor and headed over to the group.
"Hey, guys.
These the reinforcements I saw on the news?" he asked.
JB raised an
eyebrow. "Does EVERYBODY in town know your secret identities?"
"No, although
it can seem that way," Fred chuckled. "This is David Trueheart. He's the
brother of one of the Zeo Rangers, and he fills in on the team from time
to time." After yet another round of introductions, the group started to
drift apart. Ryan, JB, and David began discussing martial arts, and pretty
soon the three of them were sparring together on the mats. Kaitlin and
Katie had claimed another corner, and were working out as well. Luckily,
the Turbos knew the older Rangers' locker combinations, so there was a
steady supply of spare gis.
Meanwhile, Rosa,
Fred, Franklin, and Justin began running through a kata together. Over
in one corner, Jo began pumping iron. Ever since receiving her civilian
powers, the youngest of the Beetleborgs had enjoyed lifting weights, with
or without her powers.
Finally, Dex,
Roland, Tasha, Peter, and Winston had claimed a table and were watching
the actions while enjoying a round of smoothies "on the house," as Ernie
had informed them. "Wow," Dex remarked, watching the perfect unison of
the Turbo Rangers. "They're really good."
"That's nothing,"
Tasha grinned. "Wait 'til they get to the "shifting sparring." It's kind
of an "every man for himself" thing. They move like lightning. It's a lot
of fun to watch."
"You don't do
martial arts yourself?" asked Winston. The girl shook her head.
"Not the way
they do. They've been teaching me to fight, but I'm not into it the way
they are. Justin's been teaching me meditation, and that's cool, but I
just don't like to work out when I get stressed."
"What do you
do?" Peter inquired.
"I like to run,"
Tasha replied. "Miles at a time, now that I've got my powers and the heightened
stamina that goes with them."
Roland grinned.
"I like to run, too. Sometimes I'll go out and just run my cares away,
without activating my civilian powers."
Tasha shot him
a glance. "Wanna go for a run? We're pretty much dressed for it." She indicated
their shorts and sneakers.
"Sounds good
to me," Roland replied.
"Keep an eye
on your communicators," Dex cautioned. "And if Shadowborg shows up, get
back to the Power Chamber immediately."
Tasha rolled
her eyes. "Yes, mother," she replied. "Come on, Roland, let's go beat feet."
The two of them headed out of the Youth Center.
Looking over
at Peter, Winston saw that the psychologist was watching Ryan and JB intently.
"Thinking about getting in on that?" Zeddemore asked.
Peter smiled
wryly. "I've got all this excess energy, and I think I'm gonna go nuts
if I don't work it off." Getting up, he raised an eyebrow at his friend.
"Coming?"
"Nuh-uh," Winston
replied. "I'm just gonna sit here and drink my smoothie. You're the one
who gets hit most of the time anyway. You go on."
Sticking his
tongue out at the older Ghostbuster, Peter headed out to the mats to ask
for a lesson.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kat looked around
in awe. "Doesn't look much like UCLA," she remarked.
"Or Notre Dame,"
Trini agreed. The Morphin Academy was composed of a number of buildings,
all of the strange white stone found everywhere on Eltare. The grounds
were beautiful, and as the six Rangers followed their escort, one of Eltare's
Royal Guard, they saw beings of every shape and size imaginable.
"This is the
Hall of the Masters," their guide announced. "The Tribunal awaits you inside.
Good luck, Rangers."
Exchanging nervous
glances, the six Rangers made their way into the largest building on the
campus. "Morphin Masters are those Rangers who have served honorably and
well," Andros explained quietly, as they walked down the hall. "After their
term of service is up, usually after about the equivalent of ten years,
those who wish to move deeper into the Power come here to study, and are
eventually promoted to Morphin Master. The Tribunal are the oldest and
wisest of the Masters, one from each color. If we can win their support,
we can claim the support of every representative of the Power in the known
galaxy."
With those words,
the six arrived at a large door of some silvery wood. It was covered with
carvings, some far too small to see. Taking a deep breath, Andros knocked
firmly. The door resounded with the noise, then slowly swung open. Pulling
up their confidence, the six Rangers strode into the room.
Inside, eight
beings in color-coded robes sat at a u-shaped table, staring at the newcomers.
Skull's highly developed sense of the ridiculous pointed out the resemblance
between the Tribunal and the setup for Senate hearings. Quickly, he fought
down the image before it could fully form.
"Greetings,
Rangers of Earth," the man creature in the red cloak intoned, standing.
"I am Jarek, Red Master, of the planet Gaiala. This is Ystara, White Master,
of Eltare." The woman in the white cloak, beside him, nodded to the Rangers.
The Aquitian
member of the Tribunal was Gracchus, Blue Master, and the draconic Loongari
who stood beside him was Verdia, Green Master. Her robe was the same color
as her scales, creating an odd effect. Also on the Tribunal was Titania
of Faerun. The petite, butterfly-winged woman was a Pink Master, and radiated
warmth.
Next to Titania
stood the Black Master, a Fel'hari named Bagh'ra. With his black fur and
copper eyes, he looked like a giant black panther- except for the glint
of amused intelligence in his eyes.
Swiftclaw of
the Drakkar was the Purple Master of the Tribunal. The sky-blue Velociraptor
regarded the six humans with interested violet eyes, propping his chin
on one three-clawed hand. Finally, the Yellow Master was Talyn Al'Falqa,
a woman with a large pair of bird's wings sprouting from her back. Her
hair was snow white, and her eyes were the yellow color found in birds
of prey.
As Master Jarek
completed the introductions, Andros bowed. "Greetings to you," he replied.
"I am Andros, Red Astro Ranger. My companions are Cassandra Chan, Pink
Astro Ranger, Katherine Hilliard, Pink Zeo Ranger, Kimberly Hart, Pink
Firebird Morphin Warrior, Eugene Skullovitch, White Tiger Morphin Warrior,
and Trini Kwan, Yellow Bear Morphin Warrior. We are under the guidance
of Zordon of Eltare, White Falcon Morphin Master."
Skull saw Bagh'ra
rolling his eyes at the formalities, and immediately liked the Fel'hari
Master. He also saw Titania elbow him in the ribs, and quickly smothered
a grin. Apparently, some things NEVER changed.
Jarek bowed.
"You are welcome, Rangers of-"
"Oh, for crying
out loud, Jarek," Swiftclaw rumbled, sounding annoyed. To the Earth humans
in the room, the Drakkar's voice sounded an awful lot like Ed Asner. "Can
we PLEASE skip the formal stuff and ask them what they're doing here?"
This brought snickers from a number of the other Masters, and even the
serious White and Yellow Masters quickly had to hide their smiles.
"Not all of
us were brought up to start a formal conversation with an exchange of raw
meat," the Red Master retorted. In response, the Purple Master extended
a truly unusual-looking forked tongue and blew a raspberry.
"Gentlemen,"
Ystara interrupted. "We have guests. Could we please behave like civilized
beings for just a few minutes?"
"Don't mind
us," Kimberly chuckled.
Cassie nodded.
"Yeah, politics on Earth works about the same way."
"Since the formal
opening has gone straight down the recycler," Titania broke in, casting
glances at both Jarek and Swiftclaw, "why don't the six of you explain
what brings you before the Tribunal today."
"Zordon of Eltare
has been arrested by the Council for violating the Treaty of Chrio," Andros
replied. Verdia cocked her head.
"Thiss iss the
firsst we've heard about it," she remarked, hissing slightly on the sibilants.
"Should we not have been told?"
Andros nodded.
"No one knows about this, not even the people who should have been informed.
Somebody's going to a lot of trouble to keep it quiet, to the extent of
hiring the Dianth Clan to take us out as we headed through space."
Gracchus frowned.
"If this is true, than we should lend our support to Zordon and his Rangers
immediately," the Blue Master mused.
"Five Earth
years have passed since Zordon broke the Treaty," Bagh'ra mused in a deep
rich voice. "Rather- odd that they suddenly decide to haul him in for it?
You haven't even lost any mecha recently, have you?"
Trini shook
her head. "No sir, not for almost two years."
Talyn raised
an eyebrow. "Bagh'ra, what are you getting at?" she asked. Her voice had
an odd quality to it, like the cries of a falcon.
"I'm merely
suggesting that there's more to this than meets the eye. Someone has obviously
laid their plans carefully. If we get involved in this, we could well be
stirring up a great deal of trouble."
Verdia regarded
him in astonishment. "I've never heard ssuch wordss out of your mouth before,"
she told him. "It'ss not like you to back away from a fight."
Bagh'ra chuckled.
"Who's backing away? I simply think we should have a little more ammunition
to prove the worth of these six young people before we take on Pasht knows
how many Council members."
"What do you
suggest, Bagh'ra?" Jarek asked, interested.
"The Caves of
Alshar," the Fel'hari replied. "The testing grounds for first-year students.
We prove that they're worthy of the power, and the Council will have to
accept that."
The other Morphin
Masters nodded. "The trip through the Caves is long and perilous," Ystara
told the Rangers. "We will give you supplies, but you will have to find
your way through on your own. It may take you several days. Do you accept
this challenge?"
Andros nodded.
"We do."
"Then return
to the palace," Talyn cooed. "We will send supplies and someone to guide
you to the caves tomorrow morning."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 3
"Sure has been
quiet recently," Ray remarked, soldering a connection.
Peter nodded.
"Yeah, too quiet." He held up his hands as Ray and JB shot him glares.
"No, seriously! Two days without Shadowborg attacks? We didn't hurt him
at all the last time, so he's not recouping his losses. That can only mean
that he's up to something. And we still haven't found a trace of Drew.
That doesn't make ANY sense."
"What do you
mean?" Art asked. He'd decided that the currently empty Power Chamber was
an excellent place to work on his sketches, just as Peter had gone there
to think.
"Well, if Shadowborg
had killed him, he'd let us know. Losing any member of the team would knock
us off balance, and losing Drew would be even worse, for a number of reasons.
If Drew were dead, Shadowborg would practically be dumping the body on
our doorstep to rub it in."
"So he's alive,"
JB stated.
"Probably. But
WHY? Shadowborg could certainly kill him without a second thought. If he
was going to use Drew as a hostage, he would have called with his demands
already. Whatever he's planning, he's softening us up for it. He's going
to make us wait, make us anxious, and then- pow!"
As if in response
to Peter's statement, the alarm began to blare. Ray ran over to a console,
then looked up at the psychologist. "Good timing, Peter. JB, could you
call the others back? Shadowborg's in the business district, causing trouble."
"Another trap,"
Peter muttered anxiously. "Damn it."
Sparkling lights
began to fill the room as heroes and support staff began teleporting in
from all over. Egon and Justin teleported in from Billy's garage lab, Justin
still holding some sort of gadget in his hands. Roland and Tasha teleported
in from yet another run. Lita, materializing from her office, noted with
amusement the not-quite-jealous look Justin was shooting the Titanium Silver
Beetleborg, who didn't seem to notice. Ryan and Kaitlin had just arrived
from taking care of a few things in Cross World, and Winston and Katie
ran in from the gym on one of the lower floors of the Power Chamber. In
a tri-colored flash, Fred, Franklin, and Rosa appeared, still clad in their
gis. Jo was with them, having received a few lessons from them. Finally,
Dex teleported in, having returned to Pyramidas to continue his search
through Trey's records. All this occurred in the space of a few seconds.
"Where is he
this time?" Ryan asked, slightly weary.
"Business district,"
Ray replied. "You guys had better go. Egon and I will work on getting Dragon
Borg operational. We're almost done."
Fred nodded.
"All right, let's kick some butt! Shift into Turbo!"
"Trooper Transform!"
"Ecto-Phase
Activate!"
"Databonders!"
The chorus was missing one voice, a fact which caused the watching adults
to wince slightly. Jo and Roland's faces, however, were pure stone.
In a huge flash
of strange light, the assorted heroes disappeared from the Power Chamber
and materialized in the business district. Shadowborg was waiting for them,
leaning lazily against a lamppost.
"I've been waiting
for you, heroes," he chuckled. "Tell me, how does it feel to be one short?"
"I'm gonna grab
that lamppost and tie it around your neck!" Platinum Purple snarled. Blue
Trooper put a hand on her shoulder.
"Easy, Jo,"
he whispered. "He's playing with your mind. Don't give him an opening."
"You'd certainly
know all about mind games, wouldn't you, Trooper?" the evil Beetleborg
asked casually. "After all, that's all your life has ever been. Grimlord
and his goons have never passed up a chance to turn your mind to their
use. But it goes back farther than that, doesn't it? Your own father did
the same thing."
Blue Trooper
stiffened. "What?"
"Tyler Steele,
the perfect father. According to all the papers, he started your training
when you were barely old enough to walk. How does it feel, knowing your
father was molding you into the perfect soldier, practically from birth?
Knowing that you're nothing but a pawn in the struggle between him and
Grimlord?"
"Ryan, you know
your father loves you," Black Trooper insisted. "He trained you to think,
to be able to handle ANYTHING life dished out, Grimlord or not. Your dad
loves you!"
"Then why did
he leave you behind?" Shadowborg continued smoothly. "Tyler Steele, gone
for ten years, makes a mysterious re-appearance- and two weeks later goes
to Norway. Doesn't sound as if he has much use for you anymore."
Suddenly a fireball
knocked Shadowborg off his feet. "I think it's about time someone shut
you up," Green Turbo snarled, grasping the Thunder Cannon.
"Ryan, are you
going to be okay?" White 2 asked, resting her hand on Blue Trooper's shoulder.
He nodded. "I'll
be fine, Katie." The pure ice in his voice belied his words, but White
2 did not ask further.
"Spread out
and flank him!" Masked Rider barked. Suddenly a shot from the Shadow Laser
caught him dead on, knocking him back several paces. His chest plate smoked
as he tried to haul himself back to his feet.
"Anyone else
have anything to add?" Shadowborg laughed mockingly.
"I do," Titanium
Silver snarled. "Metallix Grappler!" The claw-ended staff materialized
in his hands, and he threw himself to the attack. Shadowborg knocked him
aside easily, only to be hit by yellow and pink bolts of energy from Pink
and Yellow Turbos. Ducking away from the shots, he found himself face-to-face
with White Trooper.
"Lights out,
Shadowborg," she growled, firing her laser at him. Unfortunately, he deflected
it and cuffed her across the face, sending her sprawling.
"Super Saber
Command!" Black Trooper sprang to the attack. The blade of his Super Saber
met Shadowborg's claw, and the two of them fenced back and forth. A footsweep
knocked Black Trooper to the ground, and he rolled away from his opponent
quickly. Shadowborg tried to follow, but Red and Blue Turbos were instantly
before him, Autoblasters out and aimed for his optics. Using his hands,
Shadowborg deflected the blasts, and managed to vault out of the center
of the massed heroes.
"Twelve against
one is hardly fair odds," the creature chuckled, "so I'd like you to meet
a friend of mine." Beside him, a portal of shadow irised open, and the
defenders braced themselves for anything.
Anything but
what they saw. From the shadowy gate emerged the Chromium Gold Beetleborg,
armor sparkling in the sun. He held his Metallix Lancer in one hand and
surveyed the battle scene coolly.
"Drew?" Platinum
Purple asked, horrified.
"Hi, Jo," Chromium
Gold sneered. The cold tone of his voice sent shivers up the listeners'
spines.
"Heroes of Earth,
may I introduce Nukus' newest servant? Oh, I forgot, you've already met."
Shadowborg bowed mockingly.
"Drew?" Blue
Trooper asked slowly. "What happened to you?"
"What happened
doesn't matter," Chromium Gold replied, pointing his Lancer at the heroes.
"All that matters is that your destruction is at hand!" Suddenly Chromium
Gold and Shadowborg leaped back into the fray.
"Drew, don't!
Please, stop!" Platinum Purple backed away from her brother, making no
move to defend herself. A vicious slash across her breastplate dropped
her to the ground. Slowly, he moved to stand over her, shaking his head.
"You're pathetic,"
he told her. "If it wasn't for me and Roland, you'd have been history a
long time ago." He raised his Lancer, and she shut her eyes, not wanting
to watch.
A sudden clang
of metal on metal caused her eyes to fly open again. Titanium Silver had
tackled Chromium Gold, and the two of them were rolling around on the ground,
locked in a vicious struggle.
Shadowborg spared
a glance from battling Masked Rider and Red Turbo to see Titanium Silver
beating Chromium Gold's head on the ground. Despite the expressionless
nature of his face, he suddenly seemed to be bearing a fiendish smile.
"Retreat! We'll finish this another day!" With those words, he and Chromium
Gold disappeared in a flash of black.
With their opponents
gone, all the heroes turned their attention to Platinum Purple. The Beetleborg
had not bothered to rise from the ground, and was instead curled up, head
on her knees, arms wrapped around her legs.
"Jo? Jo, honey,
look up," White Trooper tried gently. No response. "I think she's in shock,"
the older woman reported.
"Jo worships
the ground Drew walks on," Titanium Silver informed them. "How could he
do this to us?"
"It wasn't his
fault," Blue Turbo replied. "I have a pretty good idea what happened to
him, but it'll have to wait until we're back in the Power Chamber. Here
comes the press."
Titanium Silver
groaned. "Bunny Bodelle. We don't need her right now. She'll pelt us all
with questions- especially Jo." Indeed, the charging reporter was headed
directly towards Platinum Purple, and the other heroes braced themselves
to deflect a truckload of questions.
But Bunny never
reached the group. As she moved past a Crossworld newsvan, one of the female
reporters stuck out her ankle, causing Bunny to trip and fall. Winking
at Blue Trooper, she quickly knelt beside the other woman. "I am so sorry,
I don't know what happened. I'm just far too clumsy."
Blue Trooper
grinned and waved. "Come on, let's get back to the Power Chamber." In a
flash, the heroes disappeared.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ooof!" Parker
hit the dirt hard, knocking the wind out of him. Trying to restore his
breathing to normal, he looked up at the woman standing over him. "They
teach you THAT at the Academy?" he wheezed.
Daystar chuckled.
"No, I picked that up from one of my partners, actually. She was Fel'hari-
tough lady."
"I can imagine,"
Parker replied. Taking Daystar's offered hand, he allowed her to pull him
to his feet. "How many partners have you had?"
She grinned.
"Six or seven. They don't stay with me very long. I'm one of those people
who works better alone."
Parker nodded.
"I know how that is." The two of them began circling each other once again.
This time, as Daystar aimed a punch at him, he grabbed her wrist and pulled
her off balance, catching her neatly in his arms.
"Wiseguy," she
chuckled. "Shouldn't you be keeping your mind on the match?"
"Why? I have
so much more attractive things to think about," he teased, letting her
stand. To his surprise, Daystar blushed. He raised an eyebrow. "You don't
get flirted with much, do you?"
"I'm a cop-
a lady cop," she replied. "The IGPF is VERY equal in terms of gender, but
not all of the officers see it that way. As a result, I have to be more
of a guy than the guys do."
Parker nodded.
"Yeah, it's the same way on Earth." Seeing that a couple of Edenite rebels
wanted to use the practice area, he drew her out into the main cavern.
The two of them quickly moved out of the traffic area, sitting on a natural
bench in one of the nooks. "So," Parker continued, "what do you do most
of the time? Does the IGPF have departments? Homicide, Robbery, that sort
of thing?"
She nodded.
"Yeah, not to mention departments for crimes you've never even heard of.
Since I spent half my life around pirates, I've been working the galactic
slave trade. I don't know if that's going to be practical after my- run-in
with the Dianth Clan, but that's what I've been doing."
"But what do
you do on the job?"
"It depends
on what's going on," Daystar replied. "I've chased slavers around, been
in shoot-outs, boarded slave ships and freed the people on board, lots
of things. A lot of it is electron trails, catching these guys by their
bank accounts. We do our best, but," she shrugged, "we can't save everybody."
"That hurts,
doesn't it?" he asked quietly, putting a hand on her shoulder. She nodded.
"I've never
been able to shake the wish that somebody could have saved my mother. She
died getting me off that ship. I was barely five years old; sometimes I
can't even remember what she looked like." Collecting herself with a visible
effort, Daystar gave him a half-smile. "So what about you? What do you
spend your time doing?"
"Annoying the
police," he replied, grinning. "No, seriously. You met Adam, the Green
Zeo Ranger, right?" At her nod, he continued. "Well, his father is one
of the policemen in charge of Ranger-related incidents, and it just so
happens that the Rangers are my beat. You don't know how many times I've
been thrown out of a battle scene or headquarters- sometimes physically."
He chuckled. "I also do investigative reporting, uncovering corruption,
wrong-doing, that sort of thing."
Daystar made
a face. "That must make you real popular with the police," she said dryly.
"My captain, back at Headquarters, always said that reporters were an evil
akin to Selanian slime rats. He once threw six of them out at one time."
Seeing Parker's puzzled expression, she explained. "He's from Selanus.
Looks a little like your Earth octopi- has eight arms which double as legs.
I'll introduce you when we get to Erlion."
"Erlion?"
"The Council
seat is located on the planet Erlion. IGPF Headquarters is there too."
"Ah. This is
going to be an interesting trip."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Catching sight
of their destination, Jason whistled, reigning in his zraltak. Zarador
had informed the six Rangers that the only feasible way to reach the Temple
of the Winds was to ride, and so the six of them had quickly received an
intensive course in managing the creatures. Riding a zraltak was in some
ways similar to riding a horse. The main body of the creature was quite
similar, although zralta had splayed feet rather than hooves. The head
and tail, however, were quite different. The neck was long and serpentine,
with an oval, earless head set at the top. The tail was also like that
of a snake, making the whole beast look somewhat similar to a brontosaurus,
although it was no bigger than an ordinary horse. To top it all off, zralta
had warm glossy skin, with no scales to be seen. Generally they came in
black, gold, or white, although patterned ones did exist.
The Rangers
had quickly adjusted to their mounts, although Chris had been forced into
a brief battle of wills with his. Zralta were rather playful, and the Silver
Astro Ranger had found his mount enjoyed bucking him off at the most inconvenient
times. The two had apparently come to an understanding, however, as Jason
hadn't heard Chris yell for most of the day.
"There's the
Temple," Zarador informed them, pointing at the cloud of dust on the horizon.
"They'll be setting up the tents for the gathering, which is what all that
activity is. We'll settle in, and in the morning, you can accompany me
to the first meeting."
Jamie grimaced.
"Politics. Fun."
"I hope we get
there soon," Rocky interjected. "I'm saddle sore!"
Zarador chuckled.
"Zralta riding can be painful to the novice," he allowed.
"But they are
beautiful creatures," Katarina added.
"They're evil,"
Chris broke in. "They make you think they're so sweet, staring up at you
with those big brown eyes, and then bam! They pitch you into a puddle."
TJ shook his
head. "Are you still complaining about that? Man, that was yesterday!"
"He's just waiting
to do it again. I know it."
His mount made
a chuffing sound that Jamie would swear meant "Me?" She laughed.
Chris was still
glaring at his zraltak when the entourage entered the main camp. Jamie
looked around at all the people, setting up tents, pasturing zralta, and
generally settling in. For some reason, she felt oddly at home in this
setting, even though it was a far cry from the life she had always known.
Catching her eye, Zarador nodded.
"This is how
our people used to be. It's how we still are, deep down. There's a great
deal of wanderlust in the most settled of us. Riding the Sea of Grass,
the wind in your face- it has a real attraction."
She nodded,
following him to the area set aside for Royal use. Quickly the riders dismounted,
scattering in all directions. Jason was a bit surprised when Jamie grabbed
his arm and informed him, "Our tent is over there. Come on, help me get
it up."
"Our tent?"
he echoed, following her. Picking up a pole, he saw why Jamie had asked
for his help. This was no little camping tent, this was a shelter. It was
the type of structure nomads lived their entire life in. About the size
of a small bedroom, the tent was made of a beautiful royal purple fabric,
a color choice that Jason thought had less to do with Jamie's Ranger color
and more to do with her blood status. He noticed that the tent Zarador
was erecting was the same color.
"Our tent?"
he asked again. "What do you mean, 'our?'"
She shot him
a look. "Jason, we haven't exactly made a secret of our emotional involvement,
and this is Danata. Of COURSE they figure we're going to share a tent."
The implications
of that sank in, and Jason blushed red. Sensing his discomfort, Jamie grinned.
"It gets worse," she told him. "We've only got one bedroll, too."
Jason swallowed.
"Well, we're mature, responsible adults, right? We can share a bedroll
without getting carried away."
"Speak for yourself,"
Jamie replied, raising an eyebrow. "I might want to get carried away."
Jason gulped
again, and Jamie took pity on him. "I'm just teasing you, Jason. This won't
be any different from the times we've fallen asleep on the couch together."
Seeing him relax, Jamie turned back to setting up the tent, smiling slightly.
Jason was definitely cute when he was embarrassed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"How long have
we been walking, anyway?" Kim asked. Beside her, Andros shrugged.
"More than one
day, not quite two," he replied. "Are you hungry? We can stop for dinner."
Kim shook her
head. "No, I just want to know when we're getting OUT of here. I don't
like caves- too many bad memories."
"Tell me about
it," Kat shivered. "Every time Rita or Zedd wanted us out of the way, they'd
stick us in a cave, usually with energy barriers or something." Although
neither girl mentioned it, both were thinking of the cave that had been
Kimberly's prison, back when Kat had lured her into a trap.
"Now I know
how Tommy felt when he retrieved the Zeo Crystal," the Pink Zeo Ranger
continued. "I keep expecting something to pop out at me at any moment."
Cassie looked
around nervously. "The Morphin Masters said that the cave would test us.
I wonder what type of tests they meant."
"Tests of virtue,
probably," Trini replied. "Courage, intelligence, teamwork."
"I think I found
the first one!" Skull called, his voice echoing back down the dark limestone
cavern. As the other Rangers caught up with him, they found him staring
down into a deep chasm. The White Morphin Warrior whistled. "Now that is
a DEEP pothole," he joked nervously.
"Bottomless?"
Cassie asked. Andros shook his head.
"Probably not
more than a hundred feet or so."
Trini winced.
"A hundred feet is still pretty lethal. I don't see a bridge."
"I don't see
much of anything," Kat replied. "But there HAS to be a way across. It'd
be a pretty pointless test if there wasn't."
Looking over
at his girlfriend, Skull was surprised to see her staring at a rock formation
intently. "Kim?" he asked quietly, not wanting to startle her. "What is
it?"
"C'mere," she
beckoned. "Look at that. What does that rock look like to you?"
He squinted,
trying to see what she saw in the weathered rock. "Um- a tiger?"
"You have tigers
on the brain," she replied smartly. "It looks like a lion. The Morphin
Masters told us that the magic of the caves would take the trials from
things we knew, right?"
Skull nodded.
"Right. So?"
"Leap from the
lion's head?" Kat broke in, grinning slightly. Kim nodded.
"Bingo."
Cassie raised
an eyebrow. "You wanna let the rest of us in on the joke?"
"'Indiana Jones
and the Last Crusade,'" Kim replied. "The final test. Remember? 'Only in
the leap from the lion's head will he prove his worth.'"
"No one can
jump that!" Andros protested. Trini shook her head.
"She won't have
to. The test had a hidden pathway, a spire of rock that blended in with
the abyss below it. It looked like there was nothing there, but in reality,
there was a solid pathway."
Kim nodded.
"Right." Walking to the edge, she closed her eyes. "Leap of faith," she
said wryly. Then, taking a deep breath, she stepped off the edge. For a
long second, she stepped down, feeling nothing- then her foot touched solid
stone. Opening her eyes, she grinned back at her friends. "Come on! We
don't have all day!"
The other five
Rangers exchanged glances, then stepped onto the bridge behind her, single
file.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was a shocked
and somber group that occupied the Power Chamber. Jo had been forcibly
demorphed upon her arrival, and now sat curled in a corner, not responding
to anything that was said. The Rangers had summoned Joyce and informed
her of Drew's conversion, and she had tried in vain to bring Jo out of
her trance. Now the woman simply sat beside her daughter, holding her hand.
That was the only contact Jo would allow.
While Egon and
Ray huddled over the still-unconscious Dragon Borg, Fred was finishing
up his explanation of what had occurred on the battlefield that day. "Mind
control spells are nasty. You're literally not in control when you're under
them. It's like- someone else takes over your body, and sometimes your
mind." Fred shivered, remembering all too clearly the feeling of being
controlled by the Minor Demons Jealysy and Malyce. "All your thoughts and
emotions are twisted into something unrecognizable. Sometimes the mental
damage is bad enough that the affected person becomes suicidal once the
control is released."
"Suicidal?"
Roland repeated, aghast.
"Only sometimes,"
Fred was quick to assure him. "Drew hasn't done anything truly horrifying
yet, and with Lita and Peter around, we can probably help him work through
his feelings before his depression gets too deep. But we have to break
the spell first."
"That may be
a problem," Flabber interjected. "Nukus doesn't DO magic. Whatever control
Shadowborg has over Drew, it has to be based in something else."
"Then we have
to find out what," Ryan replied, "and fast. I know- we all know too well
what it feels like to have no control." His blue eyes were dark with an
unpleasant memory.
"Well, I'm afraid
there's only one person who knows what Shadowborg is capable of," Art broke
in. "Lester. He must have designed it- after all, he's not in his prison
cell anymore."
"Then we'll
have to go get him," Justin decided. "Any idea where he's being held?"
"The crypt,
in the Charterville Cemetery," Roland informed him. "It's the Crustaceans'
main base. Nukus'll definitely have him there."
"We can't just
run in there without a plan," Dex protested. "It would be suicide."
"And you can't all go," Peter added. "From long experience, I can say that
crypts don't have a lot of room to maneuver. Taking an army down would
be ludicrous."
"Got it!" Ray
Stantz suddenly sang. "Everybody stand back! We're going to give Dragon
Borg a surge to get him jump-started."
The assembled
heroes pulled back from the lab table, as Egon pressed the switch. A jolt
of electricity arced through Dragon Borg in a bright flash, then faded.
For a long moment, all was still.
"Did it work?"
Justin asked, slowly approaching the table.
As an answer,
Dragon Borg's eyes flashed bright blue, and he slowly sat up. "What happened?
Where am I?" he asked in his Scottish-accented voice. Then memory hit him,
and Roland would have sworn that the blue visor darkened a bit.
"Um- welcome
to the Power Chamber," Ray smiled.
Stepping forward,
Art captured Dragon Borg's attention. "As to what happened, it's a long
and ugly story."
Quickly the
defenders filled Dragon Borg in on the events up 'til the present. Hearing
of Drew's subversion, he snarled softly, but did not interrupt.
"So Drew's with
Shadowborg, and Jo's in shock," Franklin finished. "We could really use
your help here."
"Any help you
need, I will give you gladly," Dragon Borg replied. "Especially to regain
the Beetleborgs this team has lost." Crossing to the corner where Joyce
and Jo sat, he knelt in front of the two. "May I?" he asked gently. Joyce
nodded, standing up and moving to one side. Lita came up beside her and
slung an arm around her shoulders, a gesture which the other woman leaned
into immediately.
"Jo?" Dragon
Borg called quietly, gently taking the girl by the shoulders. She continued
to stare ahead, lost in her own world. "Josephine McCormick, I know you
can hear me," he continued, allowing a thread of steel into his voice.
"I realize that you have had a terrible shock, but this is not the way
to deal with it. Your brother would be quite ashamed of you."
Jo whimpered.
"Drew," she whispered. Struggling faintly, she attempted to dislodge Dragon
Borg's hands, but failed. The Astral Borg's grip was like iron.
"It must hurt,
having someone you love turn against you that way," Dragon Borg went on,
his voice a little gentler. "But you must remember, that was- not- Drew."
The tone of the last three words was short and flat, like a slap to the
face. "The REAL Drew is a prisoner, behind whatever Shadowborg has done
to him. The thing that you faced today is nothing but an imposter, just
another of Nukus' monsters in a new form. If you give up, then Nukus has
won, and there is no hope for your brother. But you are stronger than that.
The strength of your body pales next to the strength in your heart. You
must fight, Jo, if Drew is ever to have any chance of returning to us."
Throughout Dragon
Borg's speech, the light had steadily been returning to Jo's eyes. As the
Astral Borg finished speaking, Jo's paralysis broke entirely, and she threw
her arms around his neck, sobbing quietly. Dragon Borg held her gently,
allowing her to cry. Then, rising, he handed the little girl off to her
mother, who wrapped her in another embrace, and the two began to cry together.
"Well, that's
one down," Tasha said quietly.
"And one to
go," finished JB.
Rosa nodded.
"Let's show Shadowborg that when he messes with us, he's playing with fire."
The End... for now